Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Move Supreme Court for Suspension of Sentence in £190 Million Case

Islamabad: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have approached the Supreme Court seeking suspension of their sentences in the £190 million case, citing both legal merits and medical grounds for their release on bail.

The couple challenged the Islamabad High Court’s decision that had rejected their petitions seeking suspension of sentence. Through their counsel, Salman Safdar, they argued that the dismissal of their applications was contrary to the principles of justice and that key legal and factual aspects of the case were overlooked.

In his appeal, Imran Khan contended that he developed serious eyesight-related health issues during imprisonment and had to be transferred outside jail for medical treatment. The petition states that despite significant health concerns and alleged mental distress caused by solitary confinement, he was denied relief. It further argues that the suspension-of-sentence proceedings were repeatedly delayed and that he had previously been granted bail during the trial, with several allegations having been declared unsubstantiated.

The appeal maintains that courts are legally permitted to examine the merits of a case while considering suspension of sentence and that rejecting the application without a preliminary assessment of the evidence was improper. It also alleges that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) repeatedly sought adjournments, causing delays in the proceedings, and claims that Khan’s arrest was carried out unlawfully.

The petition further alleges that the accountability process was politically motivated and that the principles of a fair trial were compromised. It argues that although amendments to accountability laws grant the Federal Constitutional Court jurisdiction over final appeals, there is no explicit provision requiring bail or suspension-of-sentence matters to be heard by that court. Therefore, the petitioners maintain that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the case.

Referring to previous judicial precedents, including the Khawaja Salman Rafique versus NAB case, Khan’s appeal argues that the Supreme Court has acknowledged concerns regarding the use of accountability laws for political engineering. The petition states that Khan was taken from prison to hospital on four occasions for treatment and claims that his medical condition warrants bail.

In a separate appeal, Bushra Bibi argued that she is entitled to bail due to her health condition and her status as a woman under the law. The petition states that during a meeting with her daughter on April 17, she informed her family that she had undergone eye surgery at Al-Shifa Hospital and was recovering while wearing bandages and protective eyewear.

Her appeal further contends that she has neither been convicted of terrorism-related offenses nor sentenced to life imprisonment. It claims that her bail application has remained pending before the High Court for more than a year due to repeated delays allegedly sought by NAB.

The petition also argues that the trial court’s judgment did not clearly define Bushra Bibi’s alleged criminal role in the Al-Qadir Trust case. According to the appeal, no official witness testified against her, and no funds related to the case were transferred into her personal accounts.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office returned the petitions after raising objections. The Registrar noted that following recent legal amendments, appeals and matters relating to suspension of sentence may fall within the jurisdiction of the Federal Constitutional Court.

Following the development, PTI lawyers Salman Safdar, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and Salman Akram Raja appeared at the Supreme Court. The legal team maintained that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the appeals and announced plans to file a chamber appeal challenging the Registrar’s objections.